CHAPTER 2 History! Historical narrative Lessons, truth’s, doctrines are observed rather that explicitly stated

WHAT WE SHOULD SEE God Naomi Boaz Ruth God’s providence God’s hesed Naomi’s hesed The Prodigal's restoration Boaz Boaz’s hesed Christ Ruth Ruth’s hesed The Church God’s character Types…images...shadows...of what our Lord reveals to us in Christ. The Holy Spirit conforming these believers into the image of Christ…developing His character in them

God’s providence God knows and has predetermined what we will freely choose and we are held accountable for our choices. God is morally perfect and infinitely wise. He has a morally justifiable reason for everything He allows, but doesn’t tell us why. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. God the Father and His relationship to His creation. Not Deism. Not Pantheism. Not freedom outside of God’s sovereignty. God’s sovereignty and our real choices that we are held accountable for. One “insignificant” family in a time of chaos…God’s providence!

Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram, 4 and Ram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. God is constantly bringing people to salvation by His means. People from all nations and all races and all previous religions! Male and female! All sinners with a past.

God’s hesed Exodus 34:6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness… Loving, Kind, Merciful, Gracious, Gentle, Humble, Patient, Good, Faithful, Loyal, Trustworthy, Honest, Righteous God’s character

Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love (hesed) for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God’s hesed

2 Corinthians 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness (hesed) of God. God saves…justifies... and then God changes…sanctifies.

Fruit (hesed) of the Holy Spirit in a believer 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

2:1 Now Naomi had a relative of her husband's, a worthy (hesed) man of the clan of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. A man of honor…a man with hesed...he is a type of Christ...the Kinsmen Redeemer

1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. A man of honor…a man of hesed.

2 And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” 3 So she set out and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers, and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the clan of Elimelech. Ruth’s hesed Welfare to work program Naomi’s hesed. Why didn’t Naomi go with her? “she happened” to go to Boaz’s field!

4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem 4 And behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem. And he said to the reapers, “The LORD be with you!” And they answered, “The LORD bless you.” 5 Then Boaz said to his young man who was in charge of the reapers, “Whose young woman is this?” 6 And the servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, “She is the young Moabite woman, who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. 7 She said, ‘Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves after the reapers.’ So she came, and she has continued from early morning until now, except for a short rest.” “And behold”!!! Boaz, a man of honor, a man with God’s hesed at all times Ruth, the Proverbs 31 women, a women with God’s hesed

8 Then Boaz said to Ruth, “Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. 9 Let your eyes be on the field that they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn. ” The fruit (hesed) of the Holy Spirit…a godly man of honor. The mark of a man is how he treats those who cannot repay him and how he lives when nobody knows.

10 Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?” 11 But Boaz answered her, “All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told to me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. Ruth’s response of gratitude! Ruth’s hesed was easy to see!

Proverbs 31:29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. God’s hesed in a woman

1 Peter 3:3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves… God’s hesed in a woman

12 The LORD repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” 13 Then she said, “I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, though I am not one of your servants.” A godly man glorifies the Lord and doesn’t take credit for the Lord’s blessing. A godly person has a grateful humble heart.

14 And at mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” So she sat beside the reapers, and he passed to her roasted grain. And she ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. 15 When she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the sheaves, and do not reproach her. 16 And also pull out some from the bundles for her and leave it for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.” God, Boaz, Ruth

17 So she gleaned in the field until evening 17 So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. 18 And she took it up and went into the city. Her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned. She also brought out and gave her what food she had left over after being satisfied. 19 And her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.” So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked and said, “The man's name with whom I worked today is Boaz.” She left poor and hungry and unnoticed and a foreigner and went home full with 30-50 pounds of food!

Romans 8:8 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son… Whoever God saves, He also sanctifies…He conforms them to the image of His Son...He develops His hesed in them.

Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. God’s blessings are more that we expected and can comprehend.

20 And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, “May he be blessed by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!” Naomi also said to her, “The man is a close relative of ours, one of our redeemers.” God’s hesed recognized by Naomi God’s providence

21 And Ruth the Moabite said, “Besides, he said to me, ‘You shall keep close by my young men until they have finished all my harvest.’” 22 And Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, “It is good, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, lest in another field you be assaulted.” 23 So she kept close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests. And she lived with her mother-in-law.

1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Boaz…Christ!

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN YOUR LIFE? God God’s providence God’s hesed Naomi Naomi’s hesed The Prodigal's restoration Boaz Boaz’s hesed Christ Ruth Ruth’s hesed The Church See, praise and trust God’s providence and God’s character Naomi: the wounded prodigal…Come out of your darkness and praise God again! Live for God again! Ruth: represents the church...all believers...also a women’s role model... The Proverbs 31 women Boaz: a picture of Christ! Praise God! Also a role model for all men!